The Minnesota Viking will be a different offense. Gone is the face Adrian Peterson. Now, who will help them? Who will help you on your fantasy football team? Below are some players to consider.
Sleeper – Adam Thielen, Wide Receiver
It is weird to think about a sleeper pass catcher from a Sam Bradford-led offense, but here we are. Mike Zimmer turned Bradford into a pinpoint accurate QB with play calling and route running. Thielen is a beneficiary of that offensive philosophy change. Thielen had a nice little year last year, totaling 69 catches for 967 yards and five scores. Those 967 yards was enough to land him as the 25th fantasy football wide receiver on the yardage list, to earn him a new contract, and it was more than A.J. Green, DeAndre Hopkins, and Allen Robinson last season. It does not track this year that he goes as WR47, behind players like Jordan Matthews and Rishard Matthews. He will sneak his way into your starting lineup more often than not this season, and he is going at a backup wide receiver’s price.
Breakout – Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver
Diggs started his 2016 campaign with back-to-back 100-yard games, going for nearly 300 yards in the first two weeks. He had only one other game over eighty yards for the rest of the season. He injured his groin in week four, and that seems to be the main culprit behind the abrupt change in production. Even while looking unimpressive due to injury for most of last season, Bradford still targeted him 112 times in 13 games. If Diggs merely scales up his 2016 campaign, he will top 134 fantasy points. That would put him just above Emmanuel Sanders as the #21 fantasy football wide receiver last year. Owners are currently drafting him as the WR32.
Bust – Latavius Murray, Running Back
Latavius Murray was the big free agent pickup for the Vikings offense and was set to take over for Adrian Peterson… right up until the Vikings drafted Dalvin Cook and Murray was shelved due to an ankle injury. Head coach Mike Zimmer praised Cook, saying that the second rounder “has a chance to be special.” He is not wrong, Cook slipped to the Vikes in the second due to off-field concerns, not on field. He is likely to take the bulk of the load from Murray, though Murray is set to be the goal line back and steal a handful of touchdowns. Unless Cook is injured or somehow ends up in Mike Zimmer’s dog house (which is not outside the realm of possibility due to Zimmer’s rookie phobia), Murray will have no role on your roster. He is currently going in the ninth round in twelve-team leagues. There is no need for that, and he will be one of your first cuts to clear a roster spot